Artificial leg.



PATBNIED MAY 8, 1906 J. T. APGAR. ARTIFICIAL LEG.

APPLICATION 211.21) rm. a. 1906.

2 SHEETBSHBET 1.

No. 820,082. BATENTED MAY 8, I906.

J.T.APGAR.

ARTIFICIAL LEG. APPLICATION FILED mum, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET z.

@k mw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. APGAR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ARTIFICIAL LEG- I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented MayS, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. APGAR, a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Legs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to produce an artificial leg which will operate mechanically as nearly like the naturalleg as possible. To endeavor to produce this result, I provide an ankle-block which is so carried b the foot-piece as to conform somewhat to the movements of the natural ankle-joint. In other words, the relationship existing between the ankle-block and foot-piece is such as to allow an almost independent action on the part of both members, yet sufficiently connected as ,to be under perfect control. As

the stump of a severed leg is tender at the end, I have .provided sufficient cushions or shock-absorbers and have placed them approximately within the weight region or line of ressure of the body upon the foot. In ord er that theweight of the body shall be carried equally by the foot-piece, I have piv otally mounted the ankle-block in such a manner as to permit of a transverse rocking movement upon the footpiece. By this means whenthe leg is thrown back in the act of walking the ankle-block will rock upon its pivotal point, the weight of the body being constant,but the foot-piece will remain in a horizontal position or flat upon the ground and turned outwardly. By this construction the effort of walking is materially reduced, as with a rigid connection existing between .the foot-piece and leg member the leg as a'whole is stiif and requires more effort to throw it forward each time, due to the fact of non-elasticity at the ankle region.

Qtherpoints of advantage and features of im IOvement. will hereinafter appear.

I will now proceed to describe my im provements in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specigfication, wherein I, Figure 1 illustrates my. improved artificial legi'partially in vertical longitudinal section, Fig 2 is arear ,view thereof, partlybroken away toshow more clearlycertain features of myimprovements. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one, member of my heel-cord-fastening device. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the other or coacting-member of theheelcord fastening device. Fig. 5is a perspective. view of a portion of the heelcord sus pension-plate. Fig- 6 is an enlarged detail view of my improved foot-piece, partially in vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 7 is a cross-section thereof, taken on a line a a in Fig. 6 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 8 is a cross-section taken on a line B B in Referring now to the said drawings, the

lower leg-piece is designated by 1, and the upper leg-piece, which receives the stump, by 2. These pieces or members may be made of any suitable material and in any desired form and are pivotally connected at 3'bya suitable rod 4, riveted over on the ends, as shown in Fig. 10. In order that'thej'upper leg-piece 2 can operate independently, toja certain extent, I out at an angle the ends of members-1 and 2, as at 5 nds. The purpose of this is obvious, as the upperportion of the natural leg does not assume the same angular movement as the lower or'tion. In other words, while walking the owerpartof the leg is thrown to the rear when the'backward stroke is about finished by the upper portion, the knee-joint permitting this, and the pivotal connection at 3 in my improyements acts as the knee-joint. In order that the lower leg-piece 1 may be automatically swung or assisted in this, I provide a flexible knee-cord 7 ,'which may be turned ar'ound'a stay 8, carried by the member 2 or over' rod' l or other support and has its ends secured to or looped over the shanks of'headed bjolts or pins 9 9, carried by ,thelower'legpiece '1,

these bolts or pins passing throughthe stays 57 and the material of the leg, 'thus'dispensing with dowel pins orrods heretofore used for this purpose. The lower end 10 0f'the lower leg-piece 1 is fitted, asshown, to'apivotally-mounted ankle-block 11. K A ,tongue 12 in the 'end 10 ,fits a socket 13, carried by the ankle-block 11, and is capable of a rock ing movement therein in a longitudinal direction. The socket 13 is preferably lined with a shock absorbing material 14 ,"suc h as leather, rubber, or felt. By this connection between the ankle-blockand leg the leg'is permitted to move naturally" as a vstep is taken and retracted and ftendsto facilitate the walking effort. A rubber cushion may be provided to still further relieve the shock upon the stump.

. By referring to Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9v the construction of the ankle-block and foot-piece will be more clearly understood. The under side 16 of the ankle-block 11 is provided with a tongue 17, which in this instance is of metal and secured to block 11. The tongue 17 is provided with ribs 18, which are adapted to fit grooves 19 in a cushion 20 of suitable material. The cushion 20 forms the lining of a groove 21, which is formed in a ridge 21 centrally of the foot-piece 22, the said ribs 18 preventing the ankle-block from slipping forward or backward upon the foot-piece 22. This foot-piece is provided with an angular undercut 23, and the front end 24 of the ankle-block is also cut at a lesser angle, thereby leaving a pocket 25 in the foot-piece. In order that the leg-piece 1, ankle-block 11, and foot-piece 22 may be secured together, I provide the usual heel-cord 26, which has upon its lower end a loop 27 which contains a pin 28, the cord passing through openings 26 and 26 in the ankle-block and foot-piece, respectively, and enters a recess 29 in foot-piece 22, the bottom of said recess having attached thereto wear-plates 30 and 31 which are adapted to receive the pin 27, the said wearplates being of any desired material. The upper end 32 of the heel-cord 26 passes over a hook 33, Figs. 1 and 2, the said hook being carried by an adjustable plate 34, which is provided with studs 35 35, adapted to receive nuts 36 36. Loosely mounted upon the studs 35 are locking-plates 37, which are provided with openings 38 for receiving the studs and teeth or a rack 39. Upon the leg-piece 1 I fasten in any suitable manner an anchorplate 40, which is provided with teeth 41 and slots 42 adjacent to slots 43 in the leg-piece 1. When placed for operation, the studs 35 will pass through the slots 42 and 43, and the racks or teeth 39 and 41 will engage and the plates be held securely by the nuts 36, as shown in Fig. 1. The tension of the heel-cord 26 may be adjusted exteriorly of the leg by slackening the nuts 36 sufliciently to allow the teeth of the plates to disengage. At such times the plate 34 may be raised or lowered and held in adjusted psition by the nuts 36. As a further means for flexibility I provide an elastic cord 44, which is secured at its upper end in a notch 34 in end of the hook 33, as shown, and has its lower end passed through an o ening 45 in the instep portion 46 of the an e-block 11, the cord finally terminating in a knot 47, the ends being secured in any suitable manner, as by being placed between the groove-lining or cushion 20 and tongue 17. The cord 44 acts'to raise the forwardend of the foot-piece 22 when the said foot-piece is raised in the act of walking, thereby giving to the artificial leg when in use a natural movement and appearance. In the recess 29 of the foot-piece I removably place a rubber heel 48, which is cut away, as at 49, to clear the pin 28. The rubber heel breaks the shock, can be easily removed and replaced, and is entirely independent of the heel-cord. 22 I form a longitudinal groove or socket 50,

.the ridge 21 being located centrally thereof.

It will be observed by referring to Fig. 7 that the side 51 of said groove is deeper than the side 52 and the side 53 of the foot-piece 22 is higher than the side 54 for the purpose'to be hereinafter explained. The ankle-block 11 is sufiiciently deep at the sides thereof to enter the groove or socket 50, as shown.

In Fig. 7 the ankle-block 11 is shown in a normal position and rests upon the cushions 55 56. In the operation of walking the ankle-block will rock or swing transversely, as per the arrows O and D, and considering that Fig. 7 illustrates the right foot the ankleblock will travel farther in the direction of the arrow D than in the direction of the arrow 0. For this reason I cut the side 51 deeper than the side 52, and to prevent the block from becoming displaced I make the side 53 of the foot-piece 22 higher than the side 54. By this means the lower edge 58 of the ankle-block 11 will never leave the socket 50. As a strengthening means for the leg metal side bars or stays 57 maybe provided. The transversely-movable ankle-block 11 renders the artificial leg more flexible than is the case in the ordinary construction and serves the purpose of the ankle-joint of the natural leg. The same applies to the lon tudinal movement of the leg upon the an 7 eblock 11.

I wish it understood that many of the details of construction hereinbefore described, and shown in the drawings, may be varied in various particulars without departing from the spirit of my invention. Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent, is-

1. An artificial leg, comprisin a foot-piece and a leg-piece, a heel-cord anc ored tosaid foot-piece, at the lower end thereof, a plate carried by said le iece provided with a rack, said heel-cord being attached, at the upper end thereof, to an adjustable plate provided with a rack for engaging the rack upon the plate first named, and means, operable from the exterior of said leg-piece, adapted to secure the said plates in a locked position.

2. An artificial leg comprising a foot-piece provided with a socket in its upper side, for a portion of its length, said socket being deeper at one side than at the other, the side of said foot-piece adjacent to the shallow side of saidsocket'being higher thantheside adjacent to the deeper side of said socket, an ankle-block pivotally mounted in said socket In the upper side of the foot-piece adapted for a transverse rocking movement, a leg-piece carried by said ankle-block and detachable therefrom, and an adjustable heel-cord adapted to secure said foot-piece, ankle-block and leg-piece together.

3. An artificial leg, comprising an upper leg-piece, a lower leg-piece pivotally attached thereto, a foot-piece, a transversely-movable ankle-block carried by said foot-piece, a heel-cord adapted to hold said leg-pieces, foot-piece and ankle-block together, adjustable interlocking fastening means carried by said lower leg-piece, and having attached thereto said heel-cord, a flexible cord attached to said fastening means comprising plates provided with interlocking racks at one end thereof and said ankle-block at the other end thereof. 7

4. An adjustable fastening device for the heel-cord 0f artificial legs, comprising an anchor-plate provided with a rack, a movable plate having means for receiving said heelcord, independent racks interposed between said anchorlate and said movable plate, means for holding said racks in position, and releasable means for holding the teeth of said racks interlocked.

5. An artificial-limb member provided with stays or side bars, combined with bolts or the like having shanks of suitable length passing through the stays and extending into the interior of the limb member, and a supportingcord arranged to be anchored to said shanks and to a support above said bolts.

6. The combination with an artificial leg, of an ankle-block, and a foot-piece, the footpiece having a cut-out portion in the top thereof in which the ankle-block is fitted, one side of said cut-out portion being deeper than the other side, so that the ankle-block will be inclined outwardly as the pressure of the body comes upon the limb, thereby turning the leg-stump inwardly to keep the gravity of the body in proper line.

7. In an artificial leg, the combination of a foot-piece and an ankle-block movably fitted thereto, the bottom of the ankle-block being inclined transversely, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. In an artificial leg, the combination of a foot-piece having a cut-out upper portion, one of the sides of the foot-piece being higher than the other side, and an ankle-block fitting in said cut-out portion and adapted for a transverse rocking-movement therein.

JOHN T. APGAR.

Witnesses:

HASKEL CORENTHAL, DAVID HELSHFIELD. v 

